Requiem of the Past
by Betrayed Wolf
Summary: A long time ago the earth wa submerged in a war of darkness and pain which ended only because of a shadow warrior's sacrifice. Now, that evil has decided to return and it is up to Kenshin, the others, and a new friend to see to it. K/K


**Requiem of the Past**

**Author's Note:  This is something I started writing at about…one in the morning when the idea suddenly struck me.  I'm half sure that this is an original idea so despite the late hour, or earlier hour, I think I did a fairly decent job.  But then, that's my opinion so…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing off of Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X!  I do get to claim original characters though and the plot…I think…**

**Pairings will be:  Umm… the only one I know of right now is Kenshin and Kaoru…**

**Well, without further rambling and on with the story!**

Chapter 1:  No True Choice 

_"If we are unwilling to be aware of the dark, we cannot see the light."_

                                                                                                                                    - John Cowan

_The boy was dying._  Celine watched as her companion paced her set route over and over.  The clouds around them fluttered about Angelique, almost as though they were trying to soothe her.  Once, a very long time ago there had been a time of darkness upon the earth.  It was a time when disease, hate, and death all ran rampant.  It was during those dark times, times that mortal men had forgotten, that some of the deadliest fighters were forged in that hell of despair.  Angelique had been such a fighter.  Bred and trained to be an assassin she'd somehow manages to have the heart and gifts of a healer.  In those times of war she'd been the most feared of all assassins but half of the people she was instructed to kill, women, children, old leaders slowly dying, she never did.  Instead, she had gone against orders and helped them to flee even going so far as to heal their wounds.  She even went so far as to give her life to save a couple that would be the ones to end those dark days.

            It was for that reason that she had been allowed into the heaven.  For even though she'd been a fierce killer she'd managed to keep the innocent hope in her heart that all children are born with.  Yet, Angelique was different.  Unlike many who were former mortals she did not want to walk the earth again nor become a Guardian Angel to one of those who walked it now.  It was as though her very soul was weary and had not the heart to return in any way to the world in which she'd once lived for twenty years.  Perhaps if she'd lived longer she would not be here now, for even the stoutest heart would have broken under such conditions.

            _Or maybe not._  Celine mused thoughtfully.  Angelique was different, even now, hundreds of years later, an unexpected touch would make her jump and she generally avoided newcomers.  She still carried the sword that she'd wrought so much destruction with.  The blade was a pure black metal that reflected no light and instead of seeming bloodthirsty as most blades did it gave off a sense of sorrow, much like it's owner.  But she'd been watching a man and his companions on earth lately.  And for the first time in centuries Celine had heard her soft, beautiful laughter.  The man she watched went by the name of Kenshin Himura or Hitokiri Battousai, he had been an assassin like Angelique but had turned from that path to become a wanderer.  It was the boy, Yahiko, which caused Angelique such anxiety now.

            _The boy was dying._  Ah yes, Angelique wanted to help.  The healer's heart that she still possessed ached to reach out and cure the boy of the illness that mortals could not yet possibly hope to heal.  Angelique, once called the Angel of Death by foolish mortals, wanted to help a young boy to live.  But to do so she herself would have to become mortal again and walk upon the earth once soaked in blood.  "What will you do, Angelique?"  Celine called over to the pacing woman.

            Angelique stopped pacing immediately and her golden green eyes locked on Celine's.  Angelique was as beautiful as the angels for which her name came from.  Her features were very delicate yet striking at the same time.  Her hair, a soft silken mane of light brown streaked with golf fell in soft waves to her hips.  But it was her eyes that would hold your attention.  A unique golden green color that barely managed to conceal the dark sorrows of her past.  What would she do?  Exactly what Celine was going to push her into doing.

            "Will you let him die when you know that you can save him?"  Celine continued.

            "Asks the one who is an angel."  Angelique countered, her voice as soft and lovely sounding as her laughter.  "Why won't you save him, Celine?"  She asked softly, almost pleadingly.  Celine might have given in to her a few hundred years ago but she knew that Angelique could no longer remain as she had.  The man, Himura, and his companions had been able to draw Angelique's attention back to the earth.  Celine would see to it that she returned there.

            "Angel I may be but the boy is not my concern."  She answered breezily.  "Why not save him Angelique?  You know you can."

            "I cannot."

            "You can.  The question is, will you?"  She was pushing her and oh, how Angelique hated to be pushed.  _Probably comes from having most of the decisions during her mortal life made for her._  Celine thought to herself.  The only bad thing was that Angelique knew Celine was attempting to maneuver her.  So the real question was should she swallow her pride or hang on to it.

            "You have no right to do this."  Angelique said softly, looking at Celine with such pain filled eyes that she instantly felt guilty.  "I'll play your game, Celine."  She agreed though, giving in so easily that she was more worried than what Celine had first thought.

            "Don't worry Angelique.  If it becomes bad enough we'll know and I'll retrieve you."

            For a moment Angelique smiled but she shook her head.  "We'll see."  She answered quietly.  "We'll see…"

            Angelique took a deep breath of the night air and closed her eyes.  She was…alive again and walking upon ground her feet had not touched in centuries.  There was a part of her that wanted to run out into the night and enjoy it as she'd never been allowed to do and the other wanted to meld into the shadows, wary of any danger.  She was also dressed in clothes that Celine had deemed 'appropriate' for her to wear.  A pair of tight black pants that rode low on her hips and a tight black shirt that showed some of her belly and tied behind her neck.  Her sword, Justice, was in its sheath on her back and covered in an ankle length black cloak.  Her outfit was almost uncomfortably similar to those she'd worn in her previous life.  The only good thing was that she was barefoot.  A small pack was on the ground at her feet and she silently picked it up and settled it on her back and began to walk towards the Kamiya dojo.

            She'd had a companion in her previous life though.  A huge and fierce white wolf that she'd refused to let her so-called _master_ kill.  Gaerwn had been fiercely loyal to her so much that in the end he'd saved her life by giving up his own.  She missed him now.  They had both been loners by nature and outcasts by their very nature.  _So why am I here now?_  She wondered.  She had never wanted to come back here again.  Ever, for any reason and yet…here she was.  All because of a young boy that she knew should live.  How or why she believed this so strongly she didn't have a clue but just as she'd gave her life to save the young couple who ended the Forgotten Hell Years, so was she determined to save the young boy who'd made her laugh.

            Angelique smiled softly and silently vaulted over the walls to the Kamiya dojo.  Celine had often told her that she was considered breathtaking by mortal standards and beautiful by Celine's, Angelique had never believed her though.  Beauty was in the eye of the beholder and all she saw was…herself.  People who were beautiful or breathtaking were those who laughed and smiled freely.  That, in her opinion, was beauty.  Celine, of course, had nearly laughed herself into hysterics over that one.  _Whoever it was that said angels were perfect never had to deal with Celine._  She decided with a frown and then, it was time.

            For the first time in her life she actually knocked on a door rather than opening it by whatever means was available.  In the background she could hear the soft sobbing of a woman.  A few seconds later she heard the soft pad of feet coming towards the door.  And then the door slid open and there stood Kenshin Himura, the ex-assassin she'd watched because she reminded her of herself.

            "Can I help you?"  He asked, peering intently at her face.  It was then that she realized she had the cape of her hood on and that it was shielding her face from him.

            "I was sent here by a friend of mine."  She replied and pushed back the hood.  "She said that there was a small boy here that needed to be healed?"

            Kenshin's eyes widened a bit in surprise but he nodded anyway.  "Yes, his name is Yahiko but two doctors have already seen to him and claim that he cannot be cured."

            "May I try?"  She inquired softly.

            "Who is it Kenshin?"  She heard the fighter in white, Sanosuke, ask.

            "It's a doctor."  Kenshin replied and stepped back so that Sanosuke could see her as well.

            "A doctor huh?  We already have two here."  He said dismissively, his brown eyes hard and flat.

            "I'm a healer, not a doctor."  She corrected softly.  "If I may see your friend I may be able to help him."  For a few long moments Sanosuke glared harshly into her eyes before moving back.

            "Fine.  But we'll be watching you."  He told her coolly.

            "I would expect nothing less."  She answered softly and quietly took off her pack and cloak.  Her sword startled both the men since it had been hidden by the cloak's hood.

            "You are a swordsman?"  Kenshin asked in surprise.

            Angelique didn't reply immediately at she slid the sword and sheath from her body and placed it on top of her cloak.  "Once."  She answered finally.  

            "What's your name girl?"  Sanosuke asked as he and Kenshin led her to Yahiko's room.

            "Angelique."  

            "Angelique what?"  He wanted to know, causing her to pause for a moment.  What had her last name been?  Had she ever known?  

"Chavaneau."  She remembered suddenly.  "My last name was, is, Chavaneau."

"You sound surprised Miss Angelique.  Don't you use your last name?"  Kenshin asked.

"No.  I never have."  She answered thoughtfully and shook her head a bit.  "Please just call me Angelique; it's…odd to hear myself being called Miss."  She added not noticing the curious looks that both the men gave her.

"Here we are."  Sanosuke said gruffly and slid back one of the sliding doors of the dojo.  Inside the room were Kaoru, Dr.Gensai, Megugumi, and Yahiko.

"Who's this?"  Megumi asked, rightly distrustful of strangers who appear during late night hours.

"Her name's Angelique Chavaneau."  Sanosuke said bluntly.  "She _claims_ to be a healer."

"Oh?"  Dr.Gensai asked curiously as he patted a sobbing Kaoru gently on the back.  "I don't think that there's much more a healer can accomplish than what two doctors couldn't."  He said sadly.

Angelique simply smiled at him and made her way to the futon on which Yahiko slept feverishly.  "Would all of you please move back a bit?"  She requested quietly and placed her palm on his forehead.  Kaoru still continued to sob.  "Please, would one of you doctors escort her outside so that she can get so fresh air?  It should help her."  She suggested quietly, unable to concentrate.  Megumi nodded and a few moments later she and Kaoru left the room.

Angelique gently peeled back some of the covers covering Yahiko's body and took his hands in both of hers.  Despite his forehead being so hot his hands were as cold as ice.  "You know young Yahiko," she began softly as her eyes drifted closed.  "It's not very nice to worry those who care about you."  And then she began to very softly hum, it wasn't necessary but it was easier for her to…'connect' with him for lack of a better word.  It wasn't by magic that she healed people but by some gift that allowed her spirit to connect with another person's and thus allowing her to destroy whatever was causing an illness or by coaxing skin to regenerate faster to heal wounds.

How long Angelique stayed like that she had no idea.  She was still humming and only stopped when a tired, scratchy little boy's voice asked, "Are you an angel?"  Angelique smiled then, a real smile as she looked at his face knowing that he would be fine.

"No, young Yahiko, I am as mortal as you are."  She answered.

"You look like one."  He murmured and dropped off into sleep; a real sleep though, one that would help restore his energy.

"So I've been told."  She answered softly and gently placed his hands back down and covered him up.  She was tired now, nearly exhausted but she also felt like she could do a few flips or something from excitement.  He would live!

"Are you alright, young woman?"  Dr.Gensai asked worriedly when she continued to sit there unmoving.

_I'm young?_  Angelique wanted to ask, bemused enough by that question that she raised her head and looked at him intently as she pondered that question.  Angelique guessed that she was; she'd only been twenty when she'd died.  _I've just lived so long._  She thought and noticed that Dr.Gensai was getting a little uncomfortable under her gaze.  She'd forgotten about that, her eyes had a way of disconcerting people.

"I'm fine."  She answered and looked down at Yahiko.  "He'll be fine now too.  He's finally sleeping.  Really sleeping."  She clarified.

"What did you do?"  Sanosuke asked.

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."  She answered and ruined the whole effect by yawning daintily into her hand.  "But then, if you never ask questions you never learn anything."  She contradicted herself.  She frowned then and shook her head and forced herself to stand without swaying.  "I believe I need to go now.  I'm rambling and that was always a sign of exhaustion with me."  She informed the three men watching her, no…there were six of them and they all seemed to be moving.  And then, for some unforeseen reason, everything went dark.

"Who do you think she is?"  Kaoru asked.

"I believe that she gave us her real name Miss Kaoru."  Kenshin replied thoughtfully.

"Kenshin, what kind of person forgets their last name?"

"One who never uses it?"  Sanosuke asked sarcastically.

"Well she did save Yahiko."  Megumi pointed out.

"Yeah, but why?"  Sanosuke wanted to know and looked over his shoulder at the sleeping girl.  "Guys, girls like her don't just go around healing people or whatever."

"What's that supposed to mean Sanosuke!?"  Kaoru growled.

"I mean she looks like some rich foreign guy's daughter or wife even.  And why did she show up here barefoot?"

Kenshin looked at Sanosuke for a moment and then turned to look at the sleeping Angelique.  He had recognized the look in her eyes when she'd been looking at Dr.Gensai; it was the same look that came into his own when he remembered something unpleasant about his past.  Yet her eyes were different than his.  So much sorrow and a deep pain swirled in the depths of her eyes but only for a second and then the walls came back down to keep anyone out who tried to read her too closely.  He knew that's what it was because he'd done the same thing.

"Why don't we wait and ask her when she wakes?"  Kaoru suggested, not comfortable talking about the young woman who'd saved Yahiko when she wasn't even awake to defend herself.  Nor would Kaoru allow anyone to badmouth her either.  She'd saved Yahiko and for that they all owed her a great debt.


End file.
